Quote:
Originally Posted by Runscott
Cardboard is free and bubble mailers are cheap. As Lance pointed out, cardboard boxes can also be used for priority or 1st class shipping - the problem is finding enough of them if you are a volume seller, but quite honestly, I never considered it. If I get a large batch of graded cards in the future, I will definitely look into buying small boxes in bulk.
Lance is always thinking outside the box <=== get it?
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Scott (and anyone else that cares too listen), you might take a look at BCW (bcwsupplies.com) for collecting supplies that can double as shipping supplies. In addition to the aforementioned 400-count boxes, I recommend the 330-count boxes for shipping a single baseball in ball cube (they also sell cubes), and the various sleeves and toploaders for flats of all sizes. If you have a tax number, it's worthwhile to register for a dealer/bulk account (no "free shipping" but the discount more than makes up for it). If memory serves, being on the west coast should help with shipping costs too.
I like the card boxes for shipping small items because they are very lightweight, yet also very sturdy due to the way the flaps of the lid lock into the sidewalls of the box. They do have boxes specifically sized for slabs, but last time I checked, other sizes like the 400 count boxes worked just as well but at a lower price.
Fwiw, with a 330 count box closed firmly around a ball cube turned on its side (I know, a cube turned on its side sounds weird, but trust me), I can stand on the box and hop up and down without cracking the cube. And packed that way, the package weighs 12oz, meaning it can be shipped 1st Class.
Sure, the post office will provide a Priority box for free, but then you're locked into paying for Priority shipping. If you're shipping primarily lightweight items, and doing so frequently, it may be worth checking into alternatives that will allow secure shipping while staying under the 13-ounce cutoff for 1st Class, even if it means buying your own boxes.